SG Chocolate Flake

Corn Cob Charlie sent me a generous sample of SG Chocolate Flake (I'll have the Bullseye sent out tomorrow...promise!), and I wanted to jot down a few thoughts about it. Thank you for the sample, Triple C.

This is the first chocolate tobacco I've ever tried, so I have nothing to compare it to. I feel that since this is my first chocolate tobacco, however, I remained somewhat unbiased during the smoke. Charlie sent me two really long flakes of the stuff, and one flake was plenty for a bowl-full. I broke it into thirds, and folded and stuffed each third into my pipe. I'll say it now, this tobacco is very wet. I've never felt a non-drugstore aromatic (if that is how you classify this tobacco) as wet as this, and consequently, it was a bit hard to light, though once it got going, it refused to stop. My first few puffs were a little disappointing, as I couldn't really taste any chocolate, and I couldn't taste much tobacco either. A few minutes later, that all changed.
About three minutes into the bowl, this tobacco really started to sing for me. I began to taste hints of dark chocolate, melded with quality tobacco. Is there really a better combination? After smoking this, I think not. The more and more I smoked, the better and better it tasted. The flavor lasted the whole bowl.

I think I could commit to buying a good sized portion of this, cellaring some and smoking the rest. I did find it odd that I experienced somewhat of a reverse 'aromatic effect', being that instead of the flavor being strong at the beginning of the bowl and weak at the end, it was the exact opposite, and honestly, that's not even enough to knock any points off of this tobacco.

The only downside I saw was what I stated earlier - this tobacco is very wet. Those who puff too fast may get a little gurgley, and this tobacco may bite some pretty easily. The bottom line, though, is those looking for a solid chocolate tobacco should try this one. It will not disappoint.

I think the mixture of chocolate and tobacco is great. I'll be ordering some of this ASAP. Thank you again, Charlie, for the sample.

Wow, you got one whole flake into the pipe? Maybe I'm doing something wrong with this blend then? I rubbed out to flakes when I got it, and have smoked 2 or 3 bowls off that with at least one or two left. Letting it air out a WHILE before smoking I think helps it. I also agree that it gets better the further into the bowl you get. The Latakia is just enough to smell and taste, it's strong at all. I suspect it wouldn't even put off somebody he doesn't like Latakia.

I'm still not dead set on liking this blend, but at the same time I far from hating it. It sort of grows on me.

I'm really glad you liked it Mike! Hopefully you can find some available soon in a larger quantity.

Wow, you got one whole flake into the pipe? Maybe I'm doing something wrong with this blend then? I rubbed out to flakes when I got it, and have smoked 2 or 3 bowls off that with at least one or two left. Letting it air out a WHILE before smoking I think helps it. I also agree that it gets better the further into the bowl you get. The Latakia is just enough to smell and taste, it's strong at all. I suspect it wouldn't even put off somebody he doesn't like Latakia.

I'm still not dead set on liking this blend, but at the same time I far from hating it. It sort of grows on me.

I'm really glad you liked it Mike! Hopefully you can find some available soon in a larger quantity.

I have to say that while you can smell latakia in the flake, it isn't really prevalent in the mix. I don't know how it aids to the chocolate flavor, but I do know that a common home-made chocolate blend is to mix black cavendish and latakia. It's supposed to yield a dark chocolate flavor much like this flake does. I think latakia haters would like this smoke.

Right now I would say SG Chocolate Flake is far and away my favorite tobacco. I've started smoking pipes strictly as of about 3 months ago and kicked cigarettes to the curb. I've been an on again, off again pipe smoker for about 26 years (I sometimes marvel at my own stupidity for smoking cigarettes so frequently during those years).

A couple of years ago when I was last into smoking pipes exclusively I had picked up a number of tobacco's based on reviews I had read at the time, and Chocolate Flake was among them. I had purchased one tin and 8oz in bulk, I was certain it would be a winner. It was the first flake tobacco I had ever tried. My experience at the time was very much like jmiket91's description except I found it somewhat alien, like nothing else I had ever tried. I felt it was good but a bit too foreign for my palate then, I smoked 2 bowls from the tin and had put it up for good afterwards.

Now about three weeks ago while knocking about the house I came across this tobacco tucked away in a box in my closet, I figured it's time to have another go at it. The tin was closed but not really sealed and the flake inside was bone dry. Brittle, stiff as wood, like loading your pipe with toothpicks, and the tin aroma was a dead ringer for Irish peat. I made no attempt to hydrate it, just fold (really snapped) the flake and used a vertical loading. One charring light then away I went to the bottom of the bowl with no relight needed. Cool with no bite at all, the smoke just caresses the tongue. The taste is subtly sweet and flavorful, with notes of peatiness and campfire in there as well. A beautiful amalgam. I noticed some dark chocolate notes making a faint appearance here and there throughout the smoke but never more than a whisper. The taste stays consistent the whole way through but gaining a bit of strength in the last third. The smoke taken up through the nose had a nice tasty tingle, not weak or too strong, just right and a real pleasure. Room note was pleasant and the wife made no complaints. I wish I had the vocabulary and palate to better describe this smoke but let me just say it hit all the right buttons for me, I was truly astonished.

Now I smoke this once a day. If the availability was there I'd smoke it much more often. I don't list it in my profile as my favorite because to me availability is a factor. I did have a bit of luck last Wednesday and picked up 3 more tins from smokingpipes.com along with the last 3 tins of Firedance Flake that they had along with a pound of MB Navy Flake (I've always wanted to try both of those I can't wait till Monday comes around). Next week I'm going to order 500g of G&H Brown Flake unscented or maybe Bright CR Flake, I want to try their tobaccos as they seem to be always available (for now at least). I truly hope SG Chocolate Flake comes back in bulk sometime soon, I promise to order a few pounds to put up in case it would ever vanish from us for good. I'll be a sad man when I run through the stock I have, it's been a chief pleasure of mine these last few weeks.

I just bought a tin of MacB VC and its probably my favorite aro!!! I'm thinking about dedicating a pipe to it, but at the moment it shines in a meer!!! The first half taste like a vanilla milk shake, and the last half to me at least taste like a nice strong vanilla coffee! I don't know which half I like better!!! I've been smoking VC and MacB Navy Flake back to back and what a marriage that is! One really just sets the stage for the other and its all I've been doing the past 24hrs!!! My meer has been running non stop almost since 3pm yesterday! I need another one!

Fear not SG weed has always disappeared once or twice a year. It always comes back, seasonal crop ya know........

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Thank you for the encouraging words. I hope they're not struck by anymore floods in the near future (or locusts, meteorites, or Lord know's what).

I took BradNTX's suggestion and looked up 4Noggins for some bulk. Sure enough I was late to that party and they're out of stock now. Excellent site though, I'll give them a whirl on some other things in the near future I have heard that they're good to deal with, and the prices looked good as well.

The question now before you good people is this; what tobacco would be similar to SG Chocolate Flake, one with a steadier availability? I considered Bob's Chocolate Flake but it seems to be a Lakeland floral and while I have nothing against florals (I've never had the experience) it seems to me that would make it an entirely different thing when compared to SG's CF. I was thinking maybe SG Brown Flake unscented would be the closest thing (just minus the chocolate) or even SG Louisiana Flake (nutty/chocolate but a VaPer). Any suggestions would be appreciated, lay it on me.

GH Bob's Choc has minimal amounts of the "Lakeland Fru-Fru"...........at least I really did not pickup on much if any at all. I prefer the GH over thr SG where choco-flakage is concerned and of course, ymmv.

Does anyone now where I can buy this? I can't find it anywhere! :dunno:

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I seen it mentioned in another thread that they have SG in stock on paylesspipes.com and I just checked, sure enough they have SG Chocolate Flake listed in stock for tins so have at it Mington it's an excellent tobacco to try IMHO.

I appreciate the comment Puff, I'm going to give Bob's Chocolate Flake a try next week for sure along with some Brown Flake unscented.

I seen it mentioned in another thread that they have SG in stock on paylesspipes.com and I just checked, sure enough they have SG Chocolate Flake listed in stock for tins so have at it Mington it's an excellent tobacco to try IMHO.

I appreciate the comment Puff, I'm going to give Bob's Chocolate Flake a try next week for sure along with some Brown Flake unscented.